


Call It Even

by unspokenfaith



Category: Fate: The Winx Saga (TV), Winx Club
Genre: Canon Compliant, F/M, Fluff and Humor, Unresolved Sexual Tension, this is purely self indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-06
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-18 06:09:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29853741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unspokenfaith/pseuds/unspokenfaith
Summary: Musa didn’t despise Riven until he became the reason she had to spend an evening scrubbing dirt off the floor with Alfea’s most loathed professor.Before then, she didn’t feel one way or another about him. There was the general annoyance—mostly on Stella’s and Terra’s part, who knew far more about him than she did, which granted, wasn’t much. But he had never done anything to personally offend her, other than the occasional snide remark that she would simply brush off her shoulder.Now, though, after that early morning in the library, it was very much personal.or, Musa and Riven end up spending the evening in detention, and Riven is much too pleased about it.
Relationships: Musa/Riven (Winx Club)
Comments: 16
Kudos: 111





	Call It Even

**Author's Note:**

> This sprung almost entirely from the thought of Griselda (from the original) being in Fate, and interacting with Musa and Riven, who, as we know, can both be pretty smart-mouthed. And because I love the trope of being stuck in a room together too much, so this is the end result.
> 
> As always, thank you to my fellow clowns for all the lovely Rivusa inspiration. And especially today to Saarah (ghostiewriter101) - happy birthday, Saarah!! :)
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Musa didn’t despise Riven until he became the reason she had to spend an evening scrubbing dirt off the floor with Alfea’s most loathed professor.

Before then, she didn’t feel one way or another about him. There was the general annoyance—mostly on Stella’s and Terra’s part, who knew far more about him than she did, which granted, wasn’t much. But he had never done anything to personally offend her, other than the occasional snide remark that she would simply brush off her shoulder. 

Now, though, after that early morning in the library, it was very much _personal_.

It was the weekend before final examinations, which was the only reason Musa was even in the library in the first place. Normally, there were far too many stressed and overworked students for her emotions to handle. Yet, she realized if she came early enough, it was as quiet as she could ask for—only a few others tucked into their corners and noses in their books. 

With her headphones on, it was easier to tune out everything else, allowing herself to feel the music instead. It was the only way she regained some form of control over her own mind. 

Buried into the words of her Celtic Runes book, she felt something loom over her, casting a shadow on the table. When she looked up, she couldn’t believe her own eyes.

Riven was in the library. With a backpack. And books. Not unwillingly.

She waited for the punchline, like Sky coming in behind him, or a vape pen just to piss off the staff. Neither was the case.

He nodded in her direction, sitting a few seats down across from her, and dropping his bag down on the floor with a thud. Then, he threw each of his books on the desk, earning a glare over her spectacles from Griselda at the front of the room. Her mouth twitched, as though she were pondering whether or not to scold him, but ultimately, she returned to her grading. 

Riven, with his back facing her, didn’t see any of this. And if he did, Musa was certain he wouldn’t care.

There was something about him that was particularly hard for her to turn off. She liked to think she had a better command of her powers, that no matter how powerful someone’s emotions were, she could just flip a switch and her mind was her own again. 

But then there was Riven.

Any time he approached, it was like the calm before a storm. The floodgates would give way, and in came a tidal wave. It swept her up, spun her around, and left her more disoriented than she was before. Because that was the thing with Riven—he was so much at once, but determining just _what_ he felt was usually a mystery.

It frustrated her, being unable to read him. More than she ever cared to admit. She’d never tell him, though. Not just because he detested mind fairies, but even more so because even the thought of his smug face if he felt he had any effect on her whatsoever made her insides boil. 

To find him here in the library, though, was so far outside her previous understanding of him it intrigued her. And now, with his presence, she could hardly concentrate anyway, so she didn’t resist making a comment.

“Fancy seeing you here,” she whispered without looking up from her book.

He, however, did, brows furrowed before a smirk slowly spread across his lips. “Didn’t realize you had the library reserved.”

“I didn’t realize you knew where the library was.”

She finally lifted her gaze when he leaned forward across the table. “Do you mind? I’m trying to study.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” Musa said, raising her book in hopes it would block the view of his head. It only halfway did the job.

“Don’t tell me I’m a _distraction_.” 

For more reasons than one, she didn’t like the grin on his face. 

Musa fixed him with a glare, dropping the book down louder than she meant to. 

Griselda shot up, bringing a finger to her mouth with a firm, “Shh!”

Riven gave her a wave, to which she wrinkled her nose, then turned back to Musa. “You heard the lady. _Shh_!”

“Oh, please! Like you could ever be quiet for more than five minutes!”

“I think you’re forgetting who started this conversation in the first place.” His voice raised to match hers, causing a couple heads to turn. 

Sighing, she removed her headphones. Some part of her knew he was just trying to get a reaction out of her, but for some reason, she just couldn’t find it in her stop.

“If you’re going to keep being a dick, then I’m just going to get up and move.”

“Well, no one’s stopping you,” he said, gesturing around with his hand. 

She stared at him for a moment, as his smirk reappeared. That was the last straw. 

After shoving her book back into her bag, she pushed her chair out, which screeched against the wooden floor. When she stood, she accidentally hit the chair into the shelves behind, knocking some of the books down. Then everyone’s eyes, Griselda’s included, were on her. 

The woman slowly rose up, pointing a long, shaky finger. 

“ _Detention!_ ”

“But that’s—”

“Tonight!”

Musa rolled her eyes, tilting her head back. She’d heard from Sky and Stella—mostly the latter—that Griselda handed out detentions like they were tissues for a sneeze, but she never put much stock in the comment, other than it had to be a vast overstatement. Until now, that was.

“What was that you were saying before, Musa?” Riven said, laughing. “About me being quiet?”

“Detention!” Griselda shouted again, this time pointing at him. “Tonight! Both of you!”

Riven, to his credit, barely batted an eye, even laughed to himself again, shaking his head. It didn’t take a genius to guess this wasn’t his first detention with the old bat. 

It was more than that, though. In fact, if even just the quirk of his lips told her anything, he was actually quite pleased.

***

“I told you that bitch has nothing better to do with her life.” 

Stella had her feet up on the coffee table, filing her nails and assessing her hand after each one. 

“But I didn’t even _do_ anything!” Musa protested. “I can’t be the first student who knocked over a couple books by accident. If it were Dowling, or literally anyone else, they wouldn’t have said a thing.”

“ _That’s_ the reason she gave you detention?” Aisha asked, eyes wide, and Musa felt a wave of panic overcome her. To hear that even the library wasn’t safe from Griselda’s scrutinizing gaze couldn’t have been easy for her.

Yet even her anxiety was nothing compared to Terra’s. It spread through Musa’s body as a sudden rush of heat, causing her to flinch. Terra must’ve noticed because she gave her an apologetic look.

“Well, actually, it was Riven.”

Bloom shot up from where her head was previously in Sky’s lap. “What?”

Even he froze. “Riven was in the library?”

“Yeah, my thoughts exactly,” Musa said. “He was trying to piss me off or something, and then when we both got detention, he was practically jumping on the desk cheering.”

“He _what_?” Aisha said.

“I mean...not exactly, but... _mind fairy_. That’s what it felt like he wanted to do he was so happy for some twisted reason.”

“Riven’s never been excited for detention,” Sky said. “Used to it, maybe. But never happy about it.”

“Maybe he’s going to do us all a favor and give that old hag a taste of her own medicine,” Stella offered, still entirely focused on her nails. 

“God, I hope so.” Bloom laughed, to which Aisha pursed her lips. 

Musa checked the time on her phone then groaned. “Shit, I have to go.”

“Don’t have too much fun.” Stella smirked. Whatever that was supposed to mean.

“Just sit there and be quiet and do whatever she says,” Aisha said.

“Aisha, I’ve had detention before.”

“Right. Just don’t...you know…”

Musa furrowed her brows. “Don’t what?”

Aisha sighed. “Don’t do anything stupid. Or you might end up with detention tomorrow night, too.”

“Yes, Mom.”

Sky laughed and everyone turned to look at him. Even Stella finally glanced up. 

“Sorry,” he said. “Just sounds like me with Riven.”

That was all Musa needed to hear to get herself out of the suite. She didn’t miss all of their eyes on her, but luckily, after walking out the door, she didn’t have time to feel anything else. 

She didn’t think things could get much worse, wasting the evening away in Griselda’s classroom. And yet, inevitably, it did.

Musa wasn’t surprised to find a room full of students when she entered. She did, however, stop in her tracks when she realized the only open seat was next to none other than Riven. And if that wasn’t enough, he had already noticed her. Smirking. Taunting. She couldn’t see how someone could be so elated given the circumstances. Especially him. 

Because she had no other option, and because Griselda was staring her down over her large, pointy glasses, Musa took the seat.

“Fancy seeing you here,” Riven whispered. 

“As if you aren’t the _reason_ I’m here,” she muttered.

He leaned in, so much so that she could smell the smoke on him, along with something else she thought was pine. “From what I recall, _you_ actually got detention first.”

Before she had the opportunity to respond, Griselda cleared her throat, now standing over her desk. 

“There will be _no_ talking,” she said. “Now, it looks as though everyone is here, which means we can get started. Tonight, you will all partake in tidying up the classroom.”

There was a chorus of groans all around.

“ _As I was saying_ ,” Griselda continued bitterly. “You will all be assigned different tasks and they must be completed in the hour that you’re here.”

“Is she serious?” Musa said, mostly to herself, although Riven made a face. This was probably second nature to him by now.

Evidently, she was very serious, because she began to walk around the room with her clipboard, designating each desk of two to a different chore—washing windows, dusting the chalkboard tray, shelving books in alphabetical order. She was so thorough that by the time she came to Musa and Riven, Musa couldn’t possibly determine what her job would be.

“Musa….Riven….” Griselda kept her eyes glued to her paper. “You two will be scrubbing the floor.”

“Brilliant,” Musa muttered, and Griselda tensed.

“What was that, young lady?”

“I said ‘brilliant,’ as in ‘I can’t wait to get started.’” She pulled a tight-lipped smile. The professor narrowed her eyes at her but continued to the next row of students. 

“You’re worse than I am.” Riven laughed.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“If you even breathe when she doesn’t want you to, she’ll jump down your throat. Learned that the hard way.”

Musa was tempted to ask, but she also wasn’t sure she even wanted to know.

Soon enough she and Riven were at the back of the classroom, on the floor with a giant bucket of soap and sponges. 

To get detention with Riven, then to have to scrub sweat and dirt with the guy was some sort of twisted punishment she didn’t think she deserved. Her only source of comfort was the sight of Riven with the sleeves of his sweatshirt rolled up after already soaking them, a permanent scowl etched on his face. Very humanizing.

If he was even remotely happy about this before, any trace of that was long gone now.

“This is fucking ridiculous,” he said, moving the sponge furiously back and forth over a particularly difficult stain. “Isn’t this corporal punishment, or some shit?”

She snorted. “You think _this_ is corporal punishment?”

“Might as well be. This isn’t detention. It’s like we’re her fucking servants.”

At that moment, the woman in question passed by, her heels clicking on the area of floor Musa had just finished polishing, which she thought was a little unfair, and also probably purposeful. 

Riven nodded to Griselda, as though she were anyone but a professor, causing her to squint and scan him disapprovingly with a tut before she moved on. Musa fought every urge to laugh, and mostly failed once she was out of earshot.

Then Riven grinned at her and something tugged in her chest. It wasn’t his usual sneer or smirk, reaching all the way to his eyes. A surprising warmth overcame her, filling every inch and settling itself into her chest. It was basking in the sunlight. Or something like coming home.

Before she could get any sort of bearing on it, the emotion was gone, along with Riven’s smile, now staring at the floor, as though breaking eye contact could somehow put an invisible wall between them and whatever she just felt. What _he_ just felt.

“You’ve gotta stop doing that shit,” he said.

“Sorry.” Then, realizing how placid she sounded, “I can’t always control it, you know? Some people are just...loud.”

His head shot up. “The fuck is that supposed to mean?”

“ _Shh!_ ” 

Even from the front of the classroom at her desk, Griselda was sharp as a whip, her long, bony finger pressed to her mouth. 

As she looked around, Musa realized she and Riven weren’t the only ones who were talking. Undoubtedly they were the loudest, but frantic whispers of the other students didn’t exactly make it easy to hear a pin drop. 

They were quiet for the next ten minutes, though, eager to make it out of the hour in one piece. With only one corner of the room left, they were nearly finished. Musa could almost taste freedom, and the slice of pizza Bloom said she would save her from the canteen.

Then, with only two-and-a-half minutes left on the clock, Riven stepped back with the mop without looking and accidentally knocked the entire bucket over. Musa, sitting on the floor, barely had time to react, but quickly got up after already being soaked from the knees down.

“Riven, what the fuck?” she yelled.

“Excuse me!” Griselda shouted, pushing herself up from her desk. “That’s another hour for you, young lady!”

Musa groaned, not sure which was worse—spending another hour with the witch, or feeling the dirty, soapy water seep through her leggings and onto her skin. 

“Jesus, woman. What are you going to have her do for a whole other hour? Trim your fucking toenails?” Riven said.

There were a few strained laughs around the room that were quickly hushed with one glance from Griselda. Even Musa, who was furious with Riven, smiled.

“ _Detention!_ ” 

“Yeah, yeah, I know.” He picked up the mop again, shooting a wink in Musa’s direction.

***

If Musa thought detention with Riven and Griselda was bad, then having detention with _only_ Riven and Griselda had to be about as worse as it could get.

Now, with just the two of them, the professor heard every sigh, or squeak of their feet, punctuating the action with a loud shush. It was so far-reaching, Musa could’ve sworn she felt the woman’s spit land on her arm. Either that, or it was the water from the bucket flying up every time she dunked the sponge in.

Musa, however, didn’t have any problems with not speaking to Riven. Mostly because she didn’t _want_ to speak to Riven. Not after he became the reason she had to rewash every inch of the classroom with her soiled leggings rolled up past her knees. 

Aside from the occasional glare at Griselda, even Riven was doing exactly what he was supposed to do. Albeit without his usual smugness. They were both impatient, tired, and ready to leave. 

A blessing came in the form of a frazzled student rushing into the room. Musa vaguely recognized him from her botany class.

“Miss...Professor Griselda,” he said, catching his breath. 

“What is it, Tommy?”

“There’s some students smoking near the men’s bathroom down the hall.”

Griselda frowned, setting down her papers. “Hm, very well. Thank you, Tommy.”

Tommy nodded vigorously then left as soon as he came. Griselda rose from her desk, her gaze resting on Musa and Riven in the back corner of the classroom, and pointed.

“You two will stay right here. There will be no talking, no whispering, no laughing. You are to continue cleaning until I get back and when the hour is through. If I find there has been any funny business while I was gone, it will mean another detention. Understood?”

Fighting back a retort, Musa nodded slowly along with Riven. She gave a satisfied click of her tongue before marching out of the room and shutting the door behind her. They remained silent for a moment, the sound of her heels tapping on the floor fading until it stopped altogether.

“Damn first-years,” Riven said. “Such suck-ups.”

“How do you know he was a first-year?” She knew he was, but didn’t like the implication.

“Only first-years are that desperate. You know how many times I’ve smoked here? No one gives a shit.”

Musa quirked a brow. “You saying I’m desperate?”

A smirk slowly stretched across his lips. “You tell me.”

Heat crept up her neck, and she immediately looked away, pretending to focus on mopping. She fought every urge to reach out to him, yet something pulled her in that direction anyway. It was strong, like a match lighting a spark that grew into a flame. Burning brightly, but not harshly. It wrapped itself around her, warm and real.

It came in flashes, short glimpses before it was ripped away from her again, retreating into darkness. An internal battle. 

“You’re...just…” Musa hated that she didn’t have an immediate response. It seemed that’s what it always was with them—a game of constant back and forth. One neither wanted to lose, no matter how trivial. Right now, it felt like she was.

“I’m just...what?” 

Riven took a step towards her. Every inch of distance between them was a boundary waiting to be crossed. 

Musa did the only thing she could think of, and that was picking up the half-empty bucket and throwing the water at him.

“What the fuck?”

He was soaked, far more than she was. Just about everywhere but his face. With his sweatshirt removed a while ago, everything beneath his white t-shirt was completely visible. Protesting, he pulled that off, too, wringing it out. As droplets fell down his chest to his stomach, she wondered, briefly, who was still the loser. 

“Enjoying the view?” Although it was said without the usual arrogance.

“Now we’re even,” she said, crossing her arms.

Shaking his head slowly, Riven moved forward again. He was close enough now that she had to tilt her head to look up at him. “I don’t think so.”

“Riven, don’t—”

But before she had the chance to finish, whatever was left in the bucket was poured over her head. Instinctively, she shut her eyes and jumped at the discomfort of water and soap cascading down her shoulders and seeping into the fabric of her clothes.

“Fucking dickhead,” she said, attempting to shake her arms dry.

“ _Now_ we’re even.” His grin made her skin crawl, or maybe that was the cold from her damp clothing. 

Musa scowled, pushing the wet hair out of her face. Her sweater clung to her body and she reached down to pull it away from her skin, but it didn’t do much. When she looked up again, Riven was staring at her, biting his lip. His eyes were gleaming, and the wave of heat overwhelemed her again, driving out her anger and replacing it with something else just as strong.

Now only inches away, she didn’t waver under his gaze, not even when it lowered.

“Eyes up here, you perv.” She hit him lightly with the edge of her sleeve.

“Ow!” Riven grabbed his arm. “What the hell?”

“So sensitive,” Musa said, pouting. 

“Yeah? See how you like it.” He grabbed his shirt off the floor, which was now a heavy, dripping mess. She put her arms out, backing away.

“Don’t.”

“Why? You’re already wet.”

He must’ve put it together the same time she did, because his grin was especially mischievous. 

“You’re disgusting,” she said.

Musa kept stepping backwards until she hit a desk. Riven, however, didn’t stop.

When he approached, she stretched her arm out to grab the t-shirt, but he was too quick, raising it above him so she could no longer reach. He laughed while she jumped up to try and grab it, until they were practically wrestling. Eventually, she managed to get hold of it. Athough he didn’t let go either.

“Ha!” she said. 

Only when Musa looked up did she realize his face was so close she nearly collided with his nose. Her arm was extended out across her body, Riven’s hand holding the exposed skin. His gaze bore into hers, and she thought he might’ve glanced down at her mouth. 

He was a lot of things at once. Waves crashing on the shore. Thunder echoing with the promise of rain. The sun’s rays bathing her in a warm, golden light. With Riven, it was always too much for her to decipher—the long stares, the hesitance, the bristling edges. But looking at him now, his green eyes ablaze, she thought she finally understood. 

So she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his face to hers. The moment she met his lips, a rush of electricity surged through her, and she felt all of it. His initial shock, kindled desire—pure bliss. 

Riven responded by picking her up by her legs and setting her down on the desk. He smiled against her lips, and she couldn’t help but do the same. It could’ve been minutes, or hours even, that they were like that, wrapped up in each other. Eventually, though, they had to catch their breath.

“Been wanting to do that for a while now,” he said, brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

“I know.” She smiled.

He rested his forehead against hers. “I don’t think you did.”

“Well, now I do.” 

And just when he went to lean in again, the door burst open, and they both jumped up. 

A wild-eyed Griselda looked from a soaking Musa, to a shirtless Riven, to the wet mess all over the floor.

They glanced at each other and smirked, knowing exactly what was coming. 

“ _DETENTION!_ ”

**Author's Note:**

> As you can imagine, I had way too much fun writing this lol. Thanks for reading!


End file.
